Advertising-machine.



W. O. VAN ALLEN.

ADVERTISING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR.4, 191 2.

Patented Apr. 8, 1913;

2 SHEETSSHBET l.

W.- 0. VAN ALLEN.

ADVERTISING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4, 1912.

I v 5 8,207. Patented Apr. 8, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' .WILLIAM C. VAN ALLEN, 0F PORTERVILLE, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO U. S. AUTO- MATIC ADVERTISING COMPANY, OF PORTERVILLE, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 8, 1913.

Application filed April 4, 1912. Serial No. 688,367.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, l/VILLIAM C. VAN

ALLEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Portcrville, in the county of Tulare and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Advertising-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

In advertising machines it is of prime importance to have as many attractive features connected thereto as possible, as thereby the interest of more people will be attracted to the machine and more people will be induced to read the advertisements thereon than with a machine of lesser attractive features.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a machine of simple construction and operation having a large number of attractive features connected therewith whereby the opportunity to peruse the paid advertisements thereon will be presented to a large number of persons.

In the drawings forming a part of this application: Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved advertising machine, partly broken away for illustrating the internal mechanism. Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the mechanism for operating the movable information sheets. Fig. 3 is an edge elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail of a fragment of a movable panel and guide wire.

In my preferred form the machine consists of a casing or cabinet 5. In the central portion of the front face of the cabinet is a glass panel 6, and intermediate the glass panel and the back of the machine is a wooden panel 7 which I will designate as the stationary information panel. On this information panel will be found general information relating to the city in which the particular machine is located, such as the population, location of the churches, depot, public library, principal hotels and like matters which generally interest strangers. Around the glass panel are side panels 9, bottom panels 10 and top panels 11 preferably of wood, which are arranged for placing thereon the advertisements of different professional men or tradesmen of the city or elsewhere. Behind the bottom panel are movable information panels which are preferably made of sheet metal. On each of these movable information panels will be found general information relating to some particular adjacent city. These movable information panels are helld suspended by cords attached at each one.

The suspending cords at one" end are shown in Fig. 1 and are numbered 12. These movable panels are guided in their vertical movements by wires 13 near each end which are rigidly secured to the cabinet. These wires pass through guide eyes 14 secured upon the panels as best shown in Fig. 4. Cords 12 pass upwardly behind small idler pulleys l5 and thence around driving pulleys 16 at one end and around similar sized idler pulleys at the other end around which they make one revolution and then pass down on the rear side of the pulleys to and are attached to weights 17 which move vertically in weight boxes 18. These cords are preferably fastened to the top of the pulleys to prevent their slipping on the same. It will be understood that the driving pulleys and the idler pulleys alternate and are mounted partly at one side of the top portion of the cabinet and partly at the other side; that the driving pulley for one movable panel is at one side and the idler pulley for that panel is at the other side, and the next panel has its pulleys reversely situated. The pulleys at each side are mounted on a common shaft one of which, 19,is shown in the drawings. These shafts are mounted in suitable bearings secured to the cabinet. To each operating pulley is secured a pinion 20 which meshes with a gear 21. Gear 21 is mounted upon a shaft 22 which is secured in a bearing plate 23. These bearing plates are secured to a suitable support 24 attached to the cabinet in any suitable manner. It will be understood that these bearing plates are adjacent to each operating pulley-and that shaft 19 also passes through a corner of the same. Attached to each gear 21 is a pinion 25 that meshes with a rack bar 26. Each rack bar projects through panel 11 and is provided with an operating rod 27 on the outer end of which is a knob or push button having a flat face on which is placed the name of the city are intended to be placed in public places such as depots, hotel lobbies and like places where people with more or less spare time congregate. Should any of these people desire information about an adjacent city he pushes the rack bar inwardly which has the name of that city thereon. Immediately the movable information panel rises before the stationary information panel and he reads what is placed thereon. He then releases the pressure on the rack bar, when the panel descends and the stationary panel is again in view. A rest or holding bar 28 is provided for supporting the hand while holding the rack bar pushed inwardly. Any other mov able panel can'be brought into View in the same manner.

By this construction a compact advertising machine of simple construction and operation is provided.

Having described my invention what I claim is:

An advertising machine comprising a stationary panel, means to operate said movable panels comprising cords secured to the outer ends of said movable panels; pulleys mounted in the cabinet above the transparent panel over which said cords run; counter balancing weights on the other ends of said cords; means to operate certain of said pulleys comprising a train of gears operatively connected to each operated pulley; and rack bars for operating said trains of gears.

In Witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 10th day of March, 1912.

WILLIAM C. VAN ALLEN.

Witnesses H. SMITH, P. GAFVER'I.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

